Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd Drops Surprising Take on the GOAT Debate

Could Kidd have been mentioned among the greatest with one change?

May 30, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd at a press conference before game five of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The debate for the greatest basketball player of all time seems like a never-ending discussion. While it normally settles around Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, some people always have a unique take on the G.O.A.T debate.

One such person is Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. He believes changing one thing earlier in his game could've put him in those discussions.

Kidd recently spoke at the Nike Academy and talked about his game saying "My whole thing is the pass, right? Play defense, pass, but that's how I try to control the game. So that's a great question, what could I have done better? Found someone like Chris [Matthews, A.K.A. Lethal Shooter] who could teach me how to shoot when I was your age. If I could shoot, sh--, I'd be part of that G.O.A.T. conversation, I think."

10x NBA All-Star Jason Kidd spoke at Nike Academy today… As a shooting coach to hear one of your hero’s say he would have hired you in the prime of his career, WAS PRICELESS. Nike Family✔️ @nikeeyb #Nike #LethalShooter pic.twitter.com/Ag7pL0P9Hq

— Lethal Shooter (@LethalShooter__) August 8, 2024

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He seemed to be partially joking about being a part of the G.O.A.T. debate, as he cracked a smile while saying it, but it may not be that far off from the truth. Kidd sits 92nd in scoring with a little over 17,500 points and is 17th in three-pointers made. This is despite the fact that he never hit more than 35% of his threes consistently until the 2004-05 season, his 11th in the NBA.

Kidd is in the discussion for one of the five greatest point guards of all time behind Magic Johnson and Stephen Curry. He remains second in total steals and assists behind John Stockton but was able to win a championship with the Mavericks towards the tail end of his career, something Stockton was never able to accomplish.

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